b'Annie was the couples first puppy in the puppy raiser pro- have never been questioned about our puppies-in-training,gram. When they brought her home, Annie was 10 weeks old. said Trish. But, I do carry a card just in case. People who gainAt first, they were nervous about doing all the right things, but access with unofficial vests are truly doing a disservice to thoseSoutheastern Guide Dogs has a great support system in addi- who need a service dog. tion to the training program. Volunteers are taught everything Overtheyears,the There are individuals andthey need to know and become quite adept at puppy training. biggest challenge Trish has organizations that sell serviceAnnie worked her magic on Trish and Terry, and the trio encounteredwhileout animal certification or regis-soon fell into an easy cadence. The months passed quickly, it with a puppy-in-training isseemed. Suddenly, at 16 months old, it was time for Annie to people rushing up and get- tration documents online.leave the Gorrys to go into training at Southeastern Guide tingintothedogsspace. These documentsdo notDogs. After all, these are adorable convey any rights under theA piece of your heart goes with each puppy weve trained andirresistiblepuppies. ADA. The Department ofin the puppy raiser program, said Trish. I can honestly say But,itsimportantto Justice does not recognizethat you are never emotionally prepared when they leave. We rememberthat,intrain- them as proof that the dog islove them, teach them, comfort them. ing, they are working.a service animal.And, the puppies train their raisers too. Each puppy we Trish turns those inci-have raised has taught us, and reinforced, the importance of dents into teaching moments for both the puppy and the pub-patience and consistency. Their presence reminds us to stay lic. I will stop the person, and tell them the puppy is work-calm and to take things more in stride. They remind me that ing. Then I might demonstrate the right way to interact withI cant fix everything, and thats okay, said Trish, smiling. the puppy, said Trish.Annie was perfectly matched with a Navy veteran. She is Distractions, like people squealing at seeing the puppy, arestill working her magic, today, added Trish. all learning moments for the dog. You know the puppys skillsAll service-dogs-in-training, including the puppies,are are improving when, during these distractions, they continuerequired to wear a vest in public to indicate they are in train- to look at us and ignore the detractors, said Trish.ing. The puppies and dogs-in-training all have the same rights Every distraction or new encounter is an opportunity toand accessibility as a fully-trained service dog. Personally, I strengthen the puppys skills. Continued on the following page gNic, the Dolphin,tried every which wayto gain the attention ofservice dog Nick,who remainedever-focused onhis handler, Sean.That, right there, is agood testimony to howwell these dogs aretrained, said Sean.www.TheNewBarker.com THE NEW BARKER 27'